I do not have a lot of knowledge when it comes to fixing cars, but after reading up on my problem, I think I understand enough to post this.

I have a 2004 Elantra GLS. My left rear brake was hanging (wheel was very hot to the touch after driving, while other wheels were not), so I had a friend check the brake pads. We decided to replace the pads and rotors. While doing so, the parking brake seemed stuck in the on position, so I opted to have him disconnect it completely until I could afford to replace it. I had used it for the first time about 2 weeks before I noticed the hot brake problem, so we figured that must have been why the brake was hanging.

My friend replaced the rotors and pads, put some penetrant/lubricant on the piston of the caliper and reassembled the brakes. He did use the special tool to spin the caliper in when putting the pads on, however he didn't know that was necessary and tried to force them in with a C-clamp first.

Now, I seem to have two problems:

1. The left rear brake still hangs sometimes. I will drive the car and when I park it I can feel the heat coming off of the left rear wheel. It is extremely hot, so I know the brake is hanging (even with the parking brake disconnected). What is the problem here? Is the caliper bad? Would replacing the caliper solve the problem? Does the parking brake have to be connected to stop the caliper from hanging up?

2. My second problem is the pulsating of the brakes. I am afraid the rotor is warped because of the heat, or maybe he didn't clean everything well enough before he put the new rotor on. How can I figure out what the problem is? Is there a way to check a rotor to see if it is warped? Could there be another reason I feel the pulsating brakes? By the way, the brake fluid is full.

If the caliper needs to be replaced and I can leave the parking brake disconnected, are there any special instructions my friend should know about before working on this? He does work on a lot of cars and rebuilds cars to sell, so he is pretty knowledgeable. I think the only thing he didn't know about was rotating the piston. I would like to provide him with detailed instructions if necessary.

Thank you!

 

That is a common problem with Elantra calipers. Do you live in an area that gets snow and uses salt on the roads in the winter? That's what causes the calipers to seize up. The caliper is probably bad and needs replacing. That will require bleeding the brake fluid. Does the car have ABS? If your friend didn't know about rotating the piston back in, I'd suggest finding a real mechanic to do the work. Don't cheap-out on brakes. It could cost you your life (or someone else’s).

Also, driving without a working parking brake is illegal and will not pass inspection.

And the pulsating is probably warped rotors from all the heat.

 

Thank you for your quick reply. I want to take the car on a trip this weekend, so this is very helpful.

Yes, I live in Chicago, so salt is definitely a problem. And yes, I do have ABS. I guess I could take my car to a local mechanic to repair for me. I am currently unemployed so every dollar counts, but not at the cost of safety.

Do you think buying a caliper myself and then asking the mechanic to install it for me would save me some money? And if so, we have O'Reilly's, Auto Zone, and Advance Auto nearby. Would any one be better than another (quality, warranty, etc.)?